Figuring out how to begin the school year can be intimidating. You’ll be setting the tone for the rest of the year, and you will never quite get the same amount of energy or hard work from your students as you do while the year is still fresh. (Ever notice that every single kid does […]
poetry
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Elementary School, Instruction & Curriculum, Literacy
Bringing Kids Together
Each teacher has a favorite. Favorite subject, favorite activity, favorite lesson. Three years ago I started one of my favorites. Each year we start January with “Where I’m From”. The students reflect on where they are from and what makes them who they are. While reflecting on themselves and where they are from, students can focus […]
Posted inEducational Apps, Featured, Instruction & Curriculum
Strengthen Old Lessons for a New Year
Lesson planning is not a ditto machine. It is impossible to take a set of lesson plans from the previous year and implement them exactly for a current group of students. Curriculum, resources and technology all change and keep lessons constantly evolving. Sometimes lessons from previous years get left in the past. Often times, however, they are simply […]
Posted inFeatured, Instructional Strategies, Interviews, Middle School
Inspirational Educator Interview: Taylor Mali
[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”] Taylor Mali changed the face of education with his eclectic poem entitled “What Teachers Make.” This middle school teacher and poet loved his job, but, like many of us, had enough […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum, Literacy
Reverse Poetry
I stumbled upon “Mirror Mirror” and “Follow Follow” in the Scholastic book order this past month. Being a lover of fairy tales I added them to my cart. I was happily surprised and amazed as I read these reversible verse poems. We had viewed one in church, but I did not realize it was a […]
Posted inElementary School, Instruction & Curriculum, Literacy
Literature Connections with Poetry
[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”] For the past couple of years, with a push from common core, I have been incorporating poetry into my guided reading groups. I am teaching students who are reading above grade […]
Posted inFeatured, Instruction & Curriculum, Languages, Middle School
Poesía en la clase de Español
“¡Otra vez!” My students were so used to hearing these two words (another time) in between choral recitations of our daily poem that it had unfortunately become a bit sing-song as they mimicked me. Pick your battles; I thought . . . here I stood, in front of 26 eighth graders as we recited a […]
Posted inFeatured, Instruction & Curriculum, Literacy
Springful of Poets
Each spring Lined note pads of Decorated paper from the dollar store Pencils or skinny markers Their choice Became the tools of Second grade poets. Who, Every single spring, Surprised me with their Prowess To paint words Into images Which laughingly, Startlingly Opened my eyes with Delight. Spring Equaled Lucy Calkins’ and Reggie Routman’s Books […]